Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Chocolate Malted Whopper Cookies (TWD)


I have total weakness for anything malted --- chocolate/vanilla malted shakes, whoppers, malted milk ice cream (thank you David Lebovitz for the recipe in The Perfect Scoop)... and these cookies! When I first purchased Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home To Yours, this recipe for Chocolate Malted Whopper Cookies was the first that I tried, and I've been baking them countless times since. I realize that I've never written a post on them (probably because they were quickly eaten before I could take pictures). Thanks to Rachel of Confessions of a Tangerine Tart, I now have an opportunity to write a post on these delicious cookies.

I have played with this recipe quite a bit, making them without the malted milk balls, substituting white chocolate for the bittersweet, adding chopped walnuts, not adding anything to the dough and using the plain cookies for ice cream sandwiches, etc. I would have to say that you can't go wrong with any of the variations, as the basic cookie dough (which has a healthy amount of malted milk and cocoa powder) has a terrific chocolatey malt flavor and a nice soft, cakey texture.
I was debating on what to do with recipe this time around, and lo and behold, look at what I encountered during my grocery run at Trader Joes:
Now, as many of you know, I'm not too crazy about peanut butter. Still, this just seemed too good to pass up! Why not substitute the whoppers with these treats. As you can see, it's essentially a malted milk ball with a layer of peanut butter and a layer of rich milk chocolate:
I used Carnation Malted Milk Powder, Callaebut cocoa powder, and coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate (personally I wouldn't use a sweeter chocolate, as the cookie could get over the top sweet...unless you're into that). I cut the malt balls into halves (I didn't go any smaller, as they will disentigrate into the dough when baking). I like being able to distinguish what is added to the cookies, and you see the chocolate chunks and the melted malt balls in the cookie:
So, what did I think of the peanut butter malt balls? The PB flavor was subtle, and it added a nice slightly salty contrast to the malt and chocolate. I think that PB lovers would enjoy this, but personally, I'll stick to plain 'ole malt balls. These cookies are wonderful both warm just out of the oven (love the gooey melted malt balls) and at room temperature. Either way, they are delicious dunked in a glass of cold milk or served with ice cream.

If you want to make these cookies (I know you do :) ), you can find the recipe at Rachel's site. Better yet, for this recipe and many other wonderful recipes for homebaked treats, go get yourself a copy of Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Baking: From My Home To Yours...I promise you won't regret it.

To see how the TWD bakers did with their cookies, check out the Tuesday's With Dorie blogroll.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

just beautiful! and i'm glad to see the inside of the peanutbutter version of the candy; i couldn't quite imagine it. nice job!

chocolatechic said...

I am so envious of those malted milk balls.

I live in the middle of nowhere...getting 'middle of nowhere' type grocery stores...sigh

Unknown said...

I must run out to Trader Joe's this instant! Those look amazing.

The Food Librarian said...

So yummy! I will have to check out those Trader Joe malted balls.

April said...

Amazing photos, I love them. And again, I'm SO jealous that you have access to a Trader Joe's.

kimberly salem said...

the peanut butter/malt candies look delicious, and so do the cookies! :)

Gigi said...

Wow, these look sensational!

Jules Someone said...

Oh my heavens! These look positively sinful. I may have to try that.

Carol Peterman/TableFare said...

Next time it's TJ PB malted milk balls! And this dough as ice cream sandwich cookies - perfect.

Ivy said...

I really like malt-balls and I have got to got to TJ's and find them. Your cookies look like cookies-yummy cookies! haha!

Heather B said...

yum! The peanut version of the maltballs look delicious!

steph- whisk/spoon said...

i think the TJs malt balls sound great! glad you finally got to post about these cookies!

Engineer Baker said...

I love all the variations, but that final pic of the gooey cookie just kills me. I wants it.

Alexa said...

What a fun way to use those treats... and make a new treat. It looks decadent and delicious.

Eleganza Strings/ The DeLadurantey Family said...

Mmm. Yum! Peanut Butter Whoppers!

Judy said...

Darn, I was just in TJs this afternoon. Guess I'll have to go back tomorrow!

Shelby said...

They look awesome and I like how much peanut butter is in that malted ball!

Marthe said...

Your Whoppers look very nice: fluffy and cakey!! I absolutely loved them!

Had some technical difficulties with the Internet at home....Hopefully my post will be up today.

Mari said...

I made David's malted milk ice cream last night and I'm going home tonite to enjoy ice cream sandwiches with the last of my cookies! YEAH!

Nancy/n.o.e said...

Your cookies are stunning. I'm kind of the opposite of you - don't like malt in any form - but the pb/chocolate combination is a weakness for me. I may have to check those malt balls out at TJ's next time I'm in.
Nancy

PheMom said...

I really want to make these with the pb version - your cookies look wonderful and so perfect!

Marthe said...

Your cookies look delicious!! Very nice: fluffy and puffed.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE all of your variations, your photos, and hello!? Those milk chocolate malteds!?!?!??! WOW!

Pamela said...

They look great, and so do those PB malt balls. And it sounds like you have a real favorite on your hand with these.

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